The Importance of Comprehensive Sex Education to Decrease Teen Pregnancies

889 Words2 Pages

In the United States today, many teenage girls are facing lots of problems. New problems are rising such as an increased pregnancy rate among teenagers. Our teenage girls are less developed and unprepared for the problems which come along with their decision to have sex. It is also too early for teenage girls to become pregnant. Many teens think having a baby is some sort of joke. They believe it will never happen to them but the reality is that every time teens have sex, there is a possibility that the sperm will find its way to the egg if they do not get protection. As a nation, or society, it is in our common interest to protect our teenage girls from getting unwanted or unplanned pregnancy. However, this issue of protecting or preventing our teenage girls from pregnancy plays a dynamic role and is a matter of choice. Many parents and educators have long argued over whether teens should get a comprehensive sex education or abstinence only education. The question is which of these programs is more effective at stopping teen pregnancy. To prevent teenage pregnancy, the United States, should force schools to teach comprehensive sex education for many reasons. For many people, instructing teenage girls about the usefulness of birth control and condoms is more important than just simply mentioning to avoid sex until marriage. Comprehensive sex education is needed to teach teens about the usefulness of condoms.

Condoms are more effective if teens are taught about sex education. Condoms are an important factor in preventing teenage pregnancy. Many people believe that the number of teen pregnancies would drop if schools would distribute condoms. Condoms are safe, cheap, and easy to use. The reason to distribute condoms is not ...

... middle of paper ...

...pregnancy. The best choice though is what program can effectively prevent teenage pregnancy. In order for the U.S to enforce sex education, the government should hire more qualified teachers whom will be able to assist teenagers in understanding sex education. Also the government should make sex education compulsory to teens. This form of action will help teen girls to avoid unwanted pregnancy.

Works Cited

Frick, Lisa. Teen pregnancy and parenting. Farmington Hills, Mi: Nasso,2007

Ojeda, Oriana. Teenage Pregnancy: Opposing viewpoints. San Diego Ca: Szumski, 2003.

Kim, Christine and Robert E. Rector. “The Joy of Abstaining” U.S.A today Magazine 137.2766 (march 2009): 73-75. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO, Ramsey library: Roseville MN. 16 June 2009

Show More
Related

  • Teen Pregnancy, By Hadi Danawi, Zenobia Bryant And Tala Hasbini

    2078 Words  | 5 Pages

    ...own. Bratsis went onto argue that the reason for the decline could possibly be to public ad campaigns, particularly ones that display the downsides of being a young mother. Bratsis (2015) also argued that 86% of teens claimed that they the last time they had sex they used contraception, namely condoms and birth control (12). The author pointed out that we need to educate teens in the benefits of using long-acting reversible contraception instead of condoms and birth control. Bratsis suggested that we should take away the barriers, increase availability, access and awarenss of this type of contraception because it can prevent pregnancy for three to 10 years depending on which method is used. However, teens do need to be aware that they do not prevent STDs. Bratsis believes that educating teens about this contraception will help reduce the teen pregnancy rate.

    Read More

  • Abstinence-Only vs. Comprehensive Sex Education

    2387 Words  | 5 Pages

    "US Government Should Stop Funding Abstinence-Only Education: Virginity Pledge Ineffective." Reproductive Health Matters Nov. 2009: 223. Academic OneFile. Web. 4 Apr. 2012.

    Read More

  • The Debate of Abstinece-Only or Comprehensive Sex Education

    785 Words  | 2 Pages

    Today’s young Americans face strong peer pressure to be sexually active and engage themselves in risky behaviors (Merino 100-109). Anyone deciding to have sex must first think about all the risks involved. Kekla Magoon, author of Sex Education in Schools, says that “half of all teens aged 15 to 19 years old in the United States have had sex” (Magoon 64-65). It is currently not required by federal law for schools to teach Sex education and those few schools that do teach Sex education have the decision to determine how much information is allowed. Advocates from both sides of the Sex education debate agree that teens need positive influences in order to make practical decisions (Magoon 88-89). Opponents of Abstinence-only education believe it fails because it does not prepare teens for all the risks of sex (Magoon 64-65).

    Read More

  • High Teen Pregnancy Rate: Comprehensive Sex Education at Fault?

    1374 Words  | 3 Pages

    In May 2006 the silence cries of Kaylib Neal began to fill the delivery room as young Kizzy Neal slightly tilts her head with the energy she has left to take a glace at her new son. Although this moment is one of the happiest times of Kizzys life, she still wishes she could have waited to experience this moment at a later time in her life. At the age of only thirteen, Kizzy is one among the thousands of teenage girls who become pregnant each year in the United States. According to The National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy, 34% percent of young women become pregnant at least once before they reach the age of 20. Eight in ten of these teen pregnancies are unintended and 79% are to unmarried teens. There are many preliminary causes for such a high In Kizzy’s case, the blame is put on the lack of sexual education within her school. She claims that because she did not received adequate information on this subject, she was unaware of what she was getting herself into. The question is: will the opportunity to experience sex education classes make a difference in preventing teen pregnancy? Sexual education, in a broad sense, is a series of courses taken by adolescents throughout their school years in order gain a better understanding of aspects that pertain to sexual activity. Beginning as early as third grade, the students learn what sex is, what its consequences are and how to prevent those consequences. Being of the main consequences of engaging in sexual activity, Teen Pregnancy is commonly spoken about within these classes. Given that teens are being informed of this consequences within accurate sex ed. Classes, providing comprehensive classes in a school environment does not cause an increase in teen pregnancy.

    Read More

  • Decrease Of Teen Pregnancy Rate

    454 Words  | 1 Pages

    The overall teen birth rate has declined by 16 percent from 1991 to 1997. “All states are recording a decline and it is the sixth year in a row that the teen birth rate has declined,” stated Donna Shalala, HHS secretary of U. S. Newswire. Although the birthrate among teens is decreasing and the percentage of teenagers who have had sexual intercourse is declining, it is a multi-fauceted problem affecting today’s youth. The government is taking in to consideration all possibilities and conditions with teen births to make an affective way to prevent it.

    Read More

  • The Controversy of Sex Education Programs in High School

    715 Words  | 2 Pages

    How many girls have you see around school who are pregnant? Do you ever come to think that they may not have had the “sex talk” with their parents or any sort of sex education at school? “The United Stated still has the highest teen pregnancy rate of any industrialized country. About 40 percent of American women become pregnant before the age of 20. The result is about 1 million pregnancies each year among women ages 15 to 19.” (The Annie E. Casey Foundation) At the age 15-20 most teen males and females don’t have a stable job and are still going to school. There is much at risk when a male and female decide to have sexual intercourse. Having a sex education class would help decrease the teen pregnancy rate. Learning what one can do to prevent a teen pregnancy and the consequences that can lead up to it, will help reduce the amount of sexual activity among teens. Having a sex education class that is required will benefit the upcoming teens of the next generation. Some parents don’t want their teens to have premarital sex and some parents don’t want the schools to be the ones responsible to teach their kids about sex education because they feel like it’s their job. There has been much controversy on sex education being taught at school.

    Read More

  • Should Teens Have Parental Consent to Receive Birth Control?

    935 Words  | 2 Pages

    Many schools have provided teens with sex education classes to provide students with information about safe sex. Furthermore, Moskowitz explains that the “New York City board of Education programs are allowed to distribute condoms to high school students without parental consent.” Although many parents were against the school policy the court decided to allow students to receive condoms without parental consent. By having classes that discusses HIV, AIDS, and teen pregnancy teens may feel that having condoms distributed in schools is great to coincide with the classes being taught at the school. Condoms are the first method of birth control for teens and are a great start for teens that are having sex if they are not sure their parents should be involved in their decision on having sex.

    Read More

  • Sex Education in the U.S. and Japan

    1191 Words  | 3 Pages

    Santelli, J., Ott, A., Lyon, M., Rogers, J., Summers, D., &Schelifer, R. (2006). Abstinence and abstinence-only education: A review of U.S. policies and programs. Journal of Adolescent Health 38 p.p.72-81.

    Read More

  • Comprehensive Sex Education In Schools

    1047 Words  | 3 Pages

    Why should comprehensive sex education be allowed in schools? Should teens be exposed to comprehensive sex education? Sex education should be taught in school because it give children stable and accurate information , it informs them of the danger and diseases associated with sex, and it teaches them about safe sex options.

    Read More

  • Teen Pregnancy Prevention Plan

    911 Words  | 2 Pages

    In the United States since the beginng of the 1990’s until 2000’sthe teen pregnancy rate has decline tremdously. Although the U.S. has decline in teen birth it still leads all countries in teen pregnancy rate rate according to the 2013 statistics 52.1 per 1000 of female’s population age group of 15-19 (HTP,2013). Where as countries such as Canada have particually a low teen pregnancy rate where on average every 20.2 out of 1000 teens become pregnant before reaching 21. For the united states to decline in leading the nation in teen pregnancy and prevation plan needs to come interwish. The teen pregnancy prevation plan will constit of the follow topics such as Sexual education, teen abstinence, and open parent child realtionship.

    Read More

  • Examples Of The Dilemma Of Teenage Pregnancy

    978 Words  | 2 Pages

    In the world of today, one of the most predominant controversies, we have been facing for decades is ‘Teenage Pregnancy’. Teenage pregnancy, affects different aspects of life, the newborn, mother and family of the teenagers involved. Few people believe that the society should be reprimanded. But I believe the society, should not take all the blame. In spite of societal blames, teens having unprotected/protected sex and getting pregnant are personal decisions. There is just a little that any society can do to avert such activities. In today’s world teenage pregnancy could be precluded and reduced by giving them the appropriate education on sex, why it is important for them to refrain from any sexual activities, until they are of matured age and emphasize that their future is far better without been a baby mother. Because once you have a child, your life is not completely yours anymore; it now revolves around the child. Example is when a teen goes to high school every day from 8:30am – 3pm, doing of their homework’s, and studying for exams is stress free; compared to when a baby is involved, you cannot got to class without having a babysitter or someone to look after the baby, baby’s need food very frequently which would interfere with study period. Such responsibilities are not for children of ages 13-19 years. I believe with educationally programs, that explain and show the teens what adulthood and having a baby is all about, might change a lot of teen mind set.

    Read More

  • Sex Education Programs in Schools in the United States

    639 Words  | 2 Pages

    Nineteen-fifty five marked the debut of sex education programs in schools in the United States. Along the years, many have argued whether or not sex education should be taught in schools. Many believe that the education of sex encourages students to engage in sexual activities which lead to a higher number of pregnancies and sexual transmitted diseases (STD’s). As the number of unplanned pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases climbs higher and higher every day in our country, one can only think that sexual education is a necessity in our school systems. Teens as young as fourteen years old have admitted to already engaging in sexual activities. No teen should be engaging in such acts at that age. Many schools give parents the choice to have their child opt out of the lesson or class. Few states are required to teach sex education to students in secondary schools unless they were withdrawn from the class by their parents.

    Read More

  • Action Plan to Avoid Adolescent Pregnancy

    1799 Words  | 4 Pages

    Since the 1970s, many countries in the world the problem of adolescent sexuality and first sexual experience at young age appeared. To make matters worse, the trend of adolescent pregnancy became increasingly serious. From the fact sheet of World Health Organization, there are about 16 million adolescent girls giving birth every year – most in low- and middle-income countries. Among them, an estimated three million girls aged 15-19 undergo unsafe abortions every year. In low- and middle-income countries, over 30% of girls marry before they are 18 years of age; around 14% before the age of 15 and complications from pregnancy and childbirth are a leading cause of death among girls aged 15-19 years.

    Read More

  • The Lack Of Sex Education

    1318 Words  | 3 Pages

    “Forty-one percent of teens ages 18-19 said they know nothing about condoms, and seventy-five percent said they know nothing about the contraceptive pill” (Facts on American Teens). Even if schools taught just abstinence it still would not be enough. “In 2007, a study showed that abstinence only programs have no beneficial impact on the sexual behavior of young people” (Facts on American Teens). Sex education is not taken as seriously as it should be in schools, it is treated like it is not a big deal. Schools should require a sex education class that specifically teaches students about sex and goes into depth of all the possible consequences because of the high pregnancy, abortion, and virus rates.

    Read More

  • Preventing Teenage Pregnancy

    1201 Words  | 3 Pages

    Preventing teenage pregnancy has been a goal for many years now. Statistics have tried to keep up with the change in the teenage generation. Many people have different opinions on the subject of teen pregnancy, because to some people teens seem to be getting pregnant expeditiously in these times. People fail to realize that having a baby is a privilege to many people and not a problem. Many people take having a baby as a lightly. Getting pregnant and having a kid has many pros/cons. Having a child can be very hard on some people and cause them to break. When babies are brought into this world there are a lot of things to worry about. The greatest problem associated with teen pregnancy is financial instability. Most teens do not have the salary to support a child. In the prevention of teen pregnancy there are many things that are helpful. Abstinence is a for sure way of not getting pregnant. There are also other helpful ways to help prevent teen pregnancy, such as sex education and birth control. All of these things are essential in the helping to prevent teenage pregnancy.

    Read More

More about The Importance of Comprehensive Sex Education to Decrease Teen Pregnancies

Open Document